Despite the uncertainty with some starting positions, the Browns don't seem to have a ton of battles on the margins of the roster, barring a surprise performance from an undrafted rookie. They have already moved on from the obvious cuts (Ogbo Okoronkwo, Juan Thronhill, etc.), leaving a pretty clear picture of what the 53-man roster could look like.
One position that has a few question marks is the defensive line, as the versatility of guys like Sam Kamara could limit the number of true interior defensive linemen they keep. That leaves the future of Jowon Briggs in doubt, coming off a solid rookie year, as Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com believes Briggs is set for a practice squad spot in his initial 53-man roster prediction.
Jowon Briggs entering significant preseaon test on roster bubble
A former seventh-round pick out of Cincinnati in the 2024 draft, Briggs performed better than most seventh-round picks despite getting limited time. He only appeared in six games and played 133 total defensive snaps, but Briggs graded as the 23rd-best interior defensive lineman out of 219 qualified players in that small sample size, thanks to his ability to stop the run and get after the passer.
The top of the interior defensive line is clear, with number five overall pick Mason Graham leading the way alongside veteran free agent pickup Maliek Collins and Shelby Harris. They will also get 2024 second-rounder Mike Hall Jr. back at some point, leaving the defensive line with solid depth.
It would make sense to give Briggs more chances over guys like Joe Tryon-Shoyinka if they are performing relatively similarly in camp, as Briggs has a better chance to be a more long-term piece if he can build on his surprising rookie year. Potentially keeping a fourth quarterback only further complicates the roster, and the Browns could opt to go thin at interior defensive line because of their belief that other edge rushers could fill in there if needed.
Seventh-round picks don't get the leash that earlier draft picks do, and it's not uncommon to see teams move on from these late selections after one season. However, Briggs has constantly shown up during his time in Cleveland, and another strong preseason would make it impossible for the coaches to expose him to waivers.